Doerte and I began at the Snow Lake Trailhead at 3,100’ early Saturday Morning. We soon hiked past big Snow Lake and ascended the trail to Gem Lake at 4,850’. We had great fun watching two big patches of ice and snow break off high on the North side of Chair Peak and come roaring down almost all the way to Snow Lake! There always seems to be objective danger in the mountains.

Snow Lake for the summit of Mount Roosevelt. The thunderheads are building beyond Mount Thompson.

From Gem Lake an old climbers trail ascends the ridge to 5,400’, then traverses a little and climbs to a flat area with snow to 5,500’. The gully to the summit is obvious from here. It is steep Class 2 through scree, dirt, heather, and few moves to the summit. No gear is needed.

The summit offered spectacular views of The Chair, 6,238’, and Keleetan, 6,259’, to the South, and across Snow Lake way below was Mount Snoqualmie, 6,278’. Mount Thompson, 6,554’, could be seen to the east.

What a view! Chair and Kaleetan!

Only 14 parties had summited Roosevelt this year, most small parties. One guy was doing the ridge to Kaleetan and then back down to Denny Creek Trailhead for two peaks and a sporting loop! Mount Wright, 5,560’ and Caroline Peak, 5,885’, could also be climbed on the same trip for extra challenge.

We enjoyed listening to great booms of thunder to the east around Mount Stuart as we were hiking out but the storms never came our way. We got water from Gem Lake out of necessity, and then watched no less than five dogs go for a swim at their owners’ insistence. We saw one other climbing party. The hikers and dogs were all well behaved.

8 hours, 14 miles, 3,500’ of elevation gain for the day.

We were glad to have the WAC cabin a few minutes away. Doerte soon had the cabin open and we were drinking ice cold lemonade, and watching for Cynthia’s big bear. Most of Sunday Doerte painted the back stairs, and I worked on the recently Bill Hooper repaired front stairs. Doerte painted Cynthia in the cabin. She would have to use her best moves to get out without stepping in the wet paint!

Doerte painting Cynthia in the Cabin!